Essential English Verb Tenses and Question Structures

Question Structures for English Exams

1. Subject Questions

The question word (who/what) acts as the subject of the sentence.

• No auxiliary verb do/does/did is used (except with be or modals).
• The main verb is in its normal affirmative form.

Structure: Question word (who/what) + verb + complement?

2. Object Questions

The question word (who/what/which/whom) acts as the object of the sentence.

• We use an auxiliary verb do/does/did (for simple tenses).
• The subject comes after the auxiliary.

Structure: Question word + auxiliary + subject + verb (base form) + complement?

Essential English Verb Tenses

1. Present Simple

Structures:

• Affirmative: Subject + verb (present simple) + complement
• Negative: Subject + auxiliary do/does + not + verb (base form) + complement (+ frequency adverb)
• Interrogative: Auxiliary do/does + subject + verb (base form) + complement (+ frequency adverb) + ?

Uses:

• Facts that are true all the time
• Habits and routines
• Opinions and beliefs

Example: Lenin plays soccer all the time.

2. Present Continuous

Structures:

• Affirmative: Subject + auxiliary be (am/is/are) + verb (base form + -ing) + complement
• Negative: Subject + auxiliary be (am/is/are) + not + verb (-ing) + complement
• Interrogative: Auxiliary be (am/is/are) + subject + verb (-ing) + complement + ?

Uses:

• Actions happening right now / at the moment of speaking
• Temporary situations
• Future plans/arrangements

Example: Lenin is playing soccer right now.

3. Present Perfect

Structures:

• Affirmative: Subject + auxiliary have/has + past participle + complement
• Negative: Subject + auxiliary have/has + not + past participle + complement
• Interrogative: Auxiliary have/has + subject + past participle + complement + ?

Uses:

• Actions that happened in the past with relevance to the present
• Life experiences (without saying when)
• Actions that started in the past and continue until now
• Time is unspecified

Example: Lenin has played soccer many times.

4. Past Simple

Structures:

• Affirmative: Subject + verb (past simple) + complement
• Negative: Subject + auxiliary did + not + verb (base form) + complement
• Interrogative: Auxiliary did + subject + verb (base form) + complement + ?

Uses:

• Finished actions/events in the past
• Past habits/routines (with adverbs like always, often)
• Stories/narratives

Example: Lenin played soccer yesterday.

5. Present Perfect Continuous

Structures:

• Affirmative: Subject + auxiliary have/has + been + verb (-ing) + complement
• Negative: Subject + auxiliary have/has + not + been + verb (-ing) + complement
• Interrogative: Auxiliary have/has + subject + been + verb (-ing) + complement + ?

Uses:

• Actions that started in the past and continue into the present
• Emphasis on duration (using for/since)
• Actions that have been happening recently (with visible effect in the present)
• Recent activities

Example: Lenin has been playing soccer for two hours.